Combined lace-curtain stretcher and clothes-horse



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. G. PIERSON. COMBINED LACE CURTAIN STRETGHER AND CLOTHES HORSE. No.596,181. Patented Dec. 28,1897;

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' G. PIERSON. COMBINED LACE CURTAIN STRETGHERAND CLOTHES HORSE. No.596,181. Patented Dec. 28,1897! 25 W/ 23 2 /19 I LIJ anveyvtoz: WWW y IG na-m1,

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I and on which the shoe slides.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF PIER SON, OF BRADDOOK, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED LACE-CURTAIN STRETCHER AND CLOTHES-HORSE.

SPECiFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,181, dated December28, 1897. Application filed June 3,1897. Serial No. 639,278. (No model.)

To all whom it merry conccrn- Be it known that I, GUSTAF PIERSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Braddock, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Combination Lace-Curtain Stretchers andClothes-Horses; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combination lacecurtain stretcher and clotheshorse or rack; and the object is to provide a portable folding device ofthis character which shall be simple in construction, light, durable,and convenient in operation.-

To these ends the novelty consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference-characters indicate thesame parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved lace-curtain stretcher.Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same organized as a clothes horse orrack. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the stretcher as it appears whenfolded. Fig. 4 is a detail section of one of the adjustable legs. I

1 1 and 2 2 represent parallel side rails,

each of which is connected about midway of its length with a suitablehinge 3, by means of which each rail may be folded to occupy a space ofhalf its length. A sliding shoe 4 is provided with parallel flanges 5 5,which snugly encompass parallel sides of each rail, and with alongitudinal closed slot 6 to receive the shank of a stud 7, fixed inthe rail, One end of the shoe is provided with an open-ended slot 8,which engages a stud 9, fixed on the opposite half of the rail, so as tohold the two halves longitudinally together when the rail is extended.

1O 10 represent a series of parallel crossbars pivoted at their outerends to the rails 1 and 2 and at their inner ends to a shoe 11, fixed onthe central longitudinal bar 12, ex-

tending parallel with and midway between the rails 1 and 2.

Parallel bars 13 13 are pivoted at their outer ends to the inner ends ofthe outer pairs of transverse bars 10 10 and at their inner convergingends to a bolt 14, extending through a longitudinal guide-slot 15 in thecenter of the longitudinal bar 12, so as to permit of a parallel motionof the rails 1 and 2 when the device is open or closed. A correspondingcentral longitudinal bar 12 is connected in a similar manner bycross-bars 10 10 to the opposite ends of the rails 1 and 2.

16 represents a staple or screw-eye on the outer end of the longitudinalbar 12, and it is adapted to engage a hook 17 on the inner end of acorresponding longitudinal bar 12, as will be hereinafter described.

18 represents a bracket fixed at each end of the rails 1 and 2, and itis provided with parallel ears 19 19, in which is fixed a crossbar 20,which projects through a transverse slot 21 in the inner end of a leg22, pivoted therein.

23 represents a recess in said bracket,which receives the inner taperingend 24: of the leg 22 to secure the same at a right angle to the bracketor rail when the device is in use as a curtain-stretcher, as shown inFig. 1. A corresponding recess 25 is formed between the cars 19 19 andthe cross-brace 26 at one end of the bracket to receive the tapering end24 of the leg 22 to secure it in a diagonal position with respect to therail when the device is in use as a clothes-rack, as shown in Fig. 2.

Suitable hooks 27 are pivoted on the ends of the rails 1 and 2,whichengage corresponding screw-eyes 28 on the opposite ends of the samerails when the latter are folded,as shown in Fig. 2. Theperspective,being slightly distorted in Fig. l, to more clearlyillustrate the device, does not, however, prevent it assuming theposition shown in Fig. 2.

29 29 represent detachable end bars removably secured to the outer endsof the rails 1 and 2 by screw-clamps 30. When the device is assembled asa curtain-stretcher, the side rails, cross-bar, and end bars areprovided with the usual series of pins for holding the curtain in placeon the frame.

Then the device is assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, the hook 17 on thelongitudinal bar 12 engages the staple or screw-eye on the correspondingbar 12 to hold the rails in an extended positionthat is to say, thelongitudinal bars 12 and 12 have to move in opposite directions to foldtheir respective pivoted cross-bars 1O to bring the rails together,

and as .these longitudinal bars 12 and 12 are locked by the hook 17 andstaple 16 it is impossible for the parts to collapse when so secured.

Assuming that the device is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and it isdesired to fold it, proceed as follows: First remove the screwelamps anddetach the end bars 29. Then force both of the central longitudinal bars12 12 to the right, so as to fold the pivoted bars 10 10, and bring therails 1 and 2 together. Then release the sliding shoes 4 4 and fold thesections together. Now release the legs and fold them parallel with therails and the device assumes the position shown in Fig. 3.

Although I have specifically described the construction and relativearrangement of my invention, I do not desire to be confined to the same,as such changes or modifications may be made as clearly fall within thescope of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with the hinged parallel side rails 1 and 2, and thesliding shoes 4 4 adapted to lock the hingejoint in said rails, of theparallel cross-bars 1O 10, pivoted at their outer ends to the rails 1and 2, the central longitudinal bars 12 12, the shoes 11 11 fixed tosaid longitudinal bars and engaging the inner contiguous ends of thecrossbars 10 10, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with the hinged parallel side rails 1 and 2, theparallel cross-bars and the central longitudinal bars 12 12, of thebrackets 18 fixed to the outer ends of said rails and provided with therecess 23, and cross-bar 20, the leg 22, provided with a slot 21,mounted on said cross-bars and having its tapering end 24 adapted todetachably engage the recess in said bracket, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination with the hinged parallel side rails 1 and 2, thecross-bars 1O 10, the central longitudinal bars 12 12,of the bracket 18fixed at each end of said rails l and 2, and provided with the cross-bar20, and the recesses 23, 25, and the leg 22, provided Witha transverseslot 21, pivoted in said bracket and adapted to alternately engagetherecesses 23 or 25 in said bracket, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GUSTAF PIERSON.

Witnesses JOHN GELM, AUGUST ROY.

